Airflow Control Assembly

ABSTRACT

An airflow control assembly for selectively controlling room temperature includes a plurality of vent covers. Each vent cover is configured to fluidically couple to a conduit of a heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) system of a building. A first power module and an actuator are coupled to the first housing. A plurality of louvers is pivotally coupled to and extends between opposing edges of an orifice positioned in a front of the first housing. The actuator is operationally coupled to the louvers and the first power module. A thermometer is coupled to the front of the housing. A controller is operationally coupled to the plurality of vent covers and the HVAC system. The controller is configured to compel an associated actuator to selectively rotate the louvers to open and close the orifice to regulate airflow through the vent cover to maintain a desired temperature proximate to the first housing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR ASA TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention (2) Descriptionof Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to control assemblies and moreparticularly pertains to a new control assembly for selectivelycontrolling room temperature.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above bygenerally comprising a plurality of vent covers. Each vent cover isconfigured to couple to a conduit of a heating, ventilation, and coolingsystem of a building. Each vent cover comprises a first housing. Thefirst housing has a back that is open. A first power module and anactuator are coupled to the first housing. An orifice is positioned in afront of the first housing. A plurality of louvers is pivotally coupledto and extends between opposing edges of the orifice. The actuator isoperationally coupled to the louvers and the first power module. Athermometer is coupled to the front of the housing. The thermometer isconfigured to measure a temperature proximate to the first housing. Acontroller is operationally coupled to the plurality of vent covers andthe heating, ventilation, and cooling system of the building. Thecontroller is configured to receive the temperature from a respectivethermometer and to compel an associated actuator to selectively rotatethe louvers to open and close the orifice to regulate airflow throughthe vent cover to maintain a desired temperature proximate to the firsthousing.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the disclosure in order that the detailed descriptionthereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that thepresent contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There areadditional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features ofnovelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than thoseset forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an in-use view of an airflow control assembly according to anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a back view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an isometric perspective view of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through4 thereof, a new control assembly embodying the principles and conceptsof an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by thereference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the airflow control assembly10 generally comprises a plurality of vent covers 12. Each vent cover 12is configured to fluidically couple to a conduit of a heating,ventilation, and cooling system of a building. Each vent cover 12comprises a first housing 14 that defines an internal space 16. Thefirst housing 14 has a back 18 that is open.

A first power module 20 is coupled to the first housing 14 andpositioned in the internal space 16. In one embodiment, the first powermodule 20 comprises at least one first battery 22.

An orifice 24 is positioned in a front 26 of the first housing 14. Aplurality of louvers 28 is pivotally coupled to and extends betweenopposing edges 30 of the orifice 24. The louvers 28 are positioned inthe internal space 16.

An actuator 32 is coupled to the first housing 14 and is positioned inthe internal space 16. The actuator 32 is operationally coupled to thelouvers 28 and the first power module 20. The actuator 32 is positionedto selectively rotate the louvers 28 to open and close the orifice 24 toregulate airflow through the vent cover 12.

A first transceiver 34 is coupled to the first housing 14 and isoperationally coupled to the first power module 20 and the actuator 32.A thermometer 36 is coupled to the front 26 of the housing. Thethermometer 36 is configured to measure a temperature proximate to thefirst housing 14. In one embodiment, the thermometer 36 is digital. Thethermometer 36 is operationally coupled to the first power module 20 andthe first transceiver 34.

A filter 38 is coupled to the first housing 14 and is positioned in theinternal space 16. The filter 38 is positioned to cover the orifice 24to filter the air that flows through the first housing 14. An airflowsensor 40 is coupled to the first housing 14. The airflow sensor 40 isoperationally coupled to the first power module 20 and the firsttransceiver 34. The airflow sensor 40 is configured to determine ameasurement of the airflow through the first housing 14 and tocommunicate the measurement of the airflow to the first transceiver 34.

A humidity sensor 42 is coupled to the front 26 of the first housing 14.The humidity sensor 42 is operationally coupled to the first powermodule 20 and the first transceiver 34. The humidity sensor 42 isconfigured to determine a humidity level proximate the first housing 14and to communicate the humidity level to the first transceiver 34.

A controller 44 is operationally coupled to the plurality of vent covers12 and the heating, ventilation, and cooling system of the building. Thecontroller 44 is configured to receive the temperature from a respectivethermometer 36 and to compel an associated actuator 32 to selectivelyrotate the louvers 28 to open and close the orifice 24 to regulate theairflow through the vent cover 12.

In one embodiment, the controller 44 comprises a second housing 46 thatdefines an interior space 48. A second power module 50 is coupled to thesecond housing 46 and is positioned in the interior space 48. In oneembodiment, the second power module 50 comprises at least one secondbattery 52.

A microprocessor 54 is coupled to the second housing 46 and ispositioned in the interior space 48. The microprocessor 54 isoperationally coupled to the second power module 50. A display 56 iscoupled to the second housing 46. The display 56 is touch-enabled. Thedisplay 56 is operationally coupled to the microprocessor 54. Thedisplay 56 is configured to input commands for each of the plurality ofvent covers 12, and for the heating, ventilation, and cooling system ofthe building, into the microprocessor 54.

A second transceiver 58 is coupled to the second housing 46 and ispositioned in the interior space 48. The second transceiver 58 isoperationally coupled to the microprocessor 54. The second transceiver58 is wirelessly coupled to each first transceiver 34. The secondtransceiver 58 is positioned to communicate commands from themicroprocessor 54 to a respective first transceiver 34. The respectivefirst transceiver 34 is positioned to communicate the commands to theactuator 32. The actuator 32 is positioned to selectively rotate thelouvers 28 to open and close the orifice 24 to regulate the airflowthrough the vent cover 12 to maintain the desired temperature and adesired humidity level proximate to the first housing 14.

The second transceiver 58 is positioned to receive the temperature, thehumidity level, and the measurement of the airflow from the respectivefirst transceiver 34 and to relay the temperature, the humidity level,and the measurement of the airflow to the microprocessor 54.

A first button 60 is coupled to the second housing 46. The first button60 is depressible. The first button 60 is operationally coupled to themicroprocessor 54. The first button 60 is configured to be depressed tocommunicate a hold command to the microprocessor 54.

A second button 62 is coupled to the second housing 46. The secondbutton 62 is depressible. The second button 62 is operationally coupledto the microprocessor 54. The second button 62 is configured to bedepressed to select a respective vent cover 12.

A third button 64 and a fourth button 66 are coupled to the secondhousing 46. The third button 64 and the fourth button 66 aredepressible. The third button 64 and the fourth button 66 areoperationally coupled to the microprocessor 54. The third button 64 isconfigured to be depressed to increase a setpoint for the respectivevent cover 12. The fourth button 66 is configured to be depressed todecrease the setpoint for the respective vent cover 12.

Programming code 68 is positioned on at least one electronic device of auser. The programming code 68 is configured to compel the at least oneelectronic device to mirror the display 56. The at least one electronicdevice is configured to input commands for each of the plurality of ventcovers 12, and for the heating, ventilation, and cooling system of thebuilding, into the microprocessor 54.

In use, the second transceiver 58 is positioned to communicate thecommands from the microprocessor 54 to the respective first transceiver34. The respective first transceiver 34 is positioned to communicate thecommands to the actuator 32. The actuator 32 is positioned toselectively rotate the louvers 28 to open and close the orifice 24 toregulate the airflow through the vent cover 12 to maintain the desiredtemperature and the desired humidity level proximate to the firsthousing 14. The second transceiver 58 is positioned to receive thetemperature, the humidity level, and the measurement of the airflow fromthe respective first transceiver 34 and to relay the temperature, thehumidity level, and the measurement of the airflow to the microprocessor54. The programming code 68 is configured to compel the at least oneelectronic device to mirror the display 56. The at least one electronicdevice is configured to input commands for each of the plurality of ventcovers 12, and for the heating, ventilation, and cooling system of thebuilding, into the microprocessor 54.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodimentenabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials,shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, aredeemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and allequivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings anddescribed in the specification are intended to be encompassed by anembodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of thedisclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used inits non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word areincluded, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. Areference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not excludethe possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless thecontext clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

I claim:
 1. An airflow control assembly comprising: a plurality of ventcovers, each said vent cover being configured for fluidically couplingto a conduit of a heating, ventilation, and cooling system of abuilding, each said vent cover comprising: a first housing defining aninternal space, said first housing having a back, said back being open,a first power module coupled to said first housing and positioned insaid internal space, an orifice positioned in a front of said firsthousing, a plurality of louvers pivotally coupled to and extendingbetween opposing edges of said orifice, said louvers being positioned insaid internal space, an actuator coupled to said first housing andpositioned in said internal space, said actuator being operationallycoupled to said louvers and said first power module, wherein saidactuator is positioned on said first housing such that said actuator ispositioned for selectively rotating said louvers for opening and closingsaid orifice for regulating airflow through said vent cover, and athermometer coupled to said front of said housing, wherein saidthermometer is positioned on said housing such that said thermometer isconfigured for measuring a temperature proximate to said first housing;and a controller operationally coupled to said plurality of vent coversand the heating, ventilation, and cooling system of the building, saidcontroller being configured for receiving the temperature from arespective said thermometer and for compelling an associated saidactuator for selectively rotating said louvers for opening and closingsaid orifice for regulating the airflow through said vent cover formaintaining a desired temperature proximate to said first housing. 2.The assembly of claim 1, further including said first power modulecomprising at least one first battery.
 3. The assembly of claim 1,further comprising: a first transceiver coupled to said first housingand operationally coupled to said first power module and said actuator;and said thermometer being digital, said thermometer being operationallycoupled to said first power module and said first transceiver.
 4. Theassembly of claim 3, further comprising: a filter coupled to said firsthousing and positioned in said internal space, said filter beingpositioned for opening and closing said orifice for filtering airflowing through said first housing; an airflow sensor coupled to saidfirst housing, said airflow sensor being operationally coupled to saidfirst power module and said first transceiver; and wherein said airflowsensor is positioned in said first housing such that said airflow sensoris configured for determining a measurement of the airflow through saidfirst housing and for communicating the measurement of the airflow tosaid first transceiver.
 5. The assembly of claim 4, further including ahumidity sensor coupled to said front of said first housing, saidhumidity sensor being operationally coupled to said first power moduleand said first transceiver, wherein said humidity sensor is positionedin said first housing such that said humidity sensor is configured fordetermining a humidity level proximate said first housing and forcommunicating the humidity level to said first transceiver.
 6. Theassembly of claim 5, further including said controller comprising: asecond housing defining an interior space; a second power module coupledto said second housing and positioned in said interior space; amicroprocessor coupled to said second housing and positioned in saidinterior space, said microprocessor being operationally coupled to saidsecond power module; a display coupled to said second housing, saiddisplay being touch-enabled, said display being operationally coupled tosaid microprocessor, wherein said display is positioned on said housingsuch that said display is configured for inputting commands for each ofsaid plurality of vent covers and for the heating, ventilation, andcooling system of the building into said microprocessor; a secondtransceiver coupled to said second housing and positioned in saidinterior space, said second transceiver being operationally coupled tosaid microprocessor, said second transceiver being wirelessly coupled toeach said first transceiver; and wherein said second transceiver ispositioned in said second housing such that said second transceiver ispositioned for communicating commands from said microprocessor to arespective said first transceiver, wherein said respective said firsttransceiver is positioned for communicating the commands to saidactuator such that said actuator is positioned for selectively rotatingsaid louvers for opening and closing said orifice for regulating theairflow through said vent cover for maintaining the desired temperatureand a desired humidity level proximate to said first housing, whereinsaid second transceiver is positioned for receiving the temperature, thehumidity level and the measurement of the airflow from said respectivesaid first transceiver and for relaying temperature, humidity level andthe measurement of the airflow to said microprocessor.
 7. The assemblyof claim 6, further including said second power module comprising atleast one second battery.
 8. The assembly of claim 6, further includinga first button coupled to said second housing, said first button beingdepressible, said first button being operationally coupled to saidmicroprocessor, wherein said first button is positioned on said secondhousing such that said first button is configured for depressing forcommunicating a hold command to said microprocessor.
 9. The assembly ofclaim 6, further including a second button coupled to said secondhousing, said second button being depressible, said second button beingoperationally coupled to said microprocessor, wherein said second buttonis positioned on said second housing such that said second button isconfigured for depressing selecting a respective said vent.
 10. Theassembly of claim 6, further comprising: a third button coupled to saidsecond housing, said third button being depressible, said third buttonbeing operationally coupled to said microprocessor; a fourth buttoncoupled to said second housing, said fourth button being depressible,said fourth button being operationally coupled to said microprocessor;and wherein said third button is positioned on said second housing suchthat said third button is configured for depressing for increasing asetpoint for said respective said vent, wherein said fourth button ispositioned on said second housing such that said fourth button isconfigured for depressing for decreasing the setpoint for saidrespective said vent
 11. The assembly of claim 6, further includingprogramming code positioned on at least one electronic device of a user,said programming code being configured for compelling the at least oneelectronic device for mirroring said display such that the at least oneelectronic device is configured for inputting commands for each of saidplurality of vent covers and for the heating, ventilation, and coolingsystem of the building into said microprocessor.
 12. An airflow controlassembly comprising: a plurality of vent covers, each said vent coverbeing configured for fluidically coupling to a conduit of a heating,ventilation, and cooling system of a building, each said vent covercomprising: a first housing defining an internal space, said firsthousing having a back, said back being open, a first power modulecoupled to said first housing and positioned in said internal space,said first power module comprising at least one first battery, anorifice positioned in a front of said first housing, a plurality oflouvers pivotally coupled to and extending between opposing edges ofsaid orifice, said louvers being positioned in said internal space, anactuator coupled to said first housing and positioned in said internalspace, said actuator being operationally coupled to said louvers andsaid first power module, wherein said actuator is positioned on saidfirst housing such that said actuator is positioned for selectivelyrotating said louvers for opening and closing said orifice forregulating airflow through said vent cover, a first transceiver coupledto said first housing and operationally coupled to said first powermodule and said actuator, a thermometer coupled to said front of saidhousing, wherein said thermometer is positioned on said housing suchthat said thermometer is configured for measuring a temperatureproximate to said first housing, said thermometer being digital, saidthermometer being operationally coupled to said first power module andsaid first transceiver, a filter coupled to said first housing andpositioned in said internal space, said filter being positioned forcovering said orifice for filtering air flowing through said firsthousing, an airflow sensor coupled to said first housing, said airflowsensor being operationally coupled to said first power module and saidfirst transceiver, wherein said airflow sensor is positioned in saidfirst housing such that said airflow sensor is configured fordetermining a measurement of the airflow through said first housing andfor communicating the measurement of the airflow to said firsttransceiver, and a humidity sensor coupled to said front of said firsthousing, said humidity sensor being operationally coupled to said firstpower module and said first transceiver, wherein said humidity sensor ispositioned in said first housing such that said humidity sensor isconfigured for determining a humidity level proximate said first housingand for communicating the humidity level to said first transceiver; acontroller operationally coupled to said plurality of vent covers andthe heating, ventilation, and cooling system of the building, saidcontroller being configured for receiving the temperature from arespective said thermometer and for compelling an associated saidactuator for selectively rotating said louvers for opening and closingsaid orifice for regulating the airflow through said vent cover, saidcontroller comprising: a second housing defining an interior space, asecond power module coupled to said second housing and positioned insaid interior space, said second power module comprising at least onesecond battery, a microprocessor coupled to said second housing andpositioned in said interior space, said microprocessor beingoperationally coupled to said second power module, a display coupled tosaid second housing, said display being touch-enabled, said displaybeing operationally coupled to said microprocessor, wherein said displayis positioned on said housing such that said display is configured forinputting commands for each of said plurality of vent covers and for theheating, ventilation, and cooling system of the building into saidmicroprocessor, a second transceiver coupled to said second housing andpositioned in said interior space, said second transceiver beingoperationally coupled to said microprocessor, said second transceiverbeing wirelessly coupled to each said first transceiver, wherein saidsecond transceiver is positioned in said second housing such that saidsecond transceiver is positioned for communicating commands from saidmicroprocessor to a respective said first transceiver, wherein saidrespective said first transceiver is positioned for communicating thecommands to said actuator such that said actuator is positioned forselectively rotating said louvers for opening and closing said orificefor regulating the airflow through said vent cover for maintaining thedesired temperature and a desired humidity level proximate to said firsthousing, wherein said second transceiver is positioned for receiving thetemperature, the humidity level and the measurement of the airflow fromsaid respective said first transceiver and for relaying the temperature,the humidity level and the measurement of the airflow to saidmicroprocessor, a first button coupled to said second housing, saidfirst button being depressible, said first button being operationallycoupled to said microprocessor, wherein said first button is positionedon said second housing such that said first button is configured fordepressing for communicating a hold command to said microprocessor, asecond button coupled to said second housing, said second button beingdepressible, said second button being operationally coupled to saidmicroprocessor, wherein said second button is positioned on said secondhousing such that said second button is configured for depressingselecting a respective said vent, a third button coupled to said secondhousing, said third button being depressible, said third button beingoperationally coupled to said microprocessor, wherein said third buttonis positioned on said second housing such that said third button isconfigured for depressing for increasing a setpoint for said respectivesaid vent, and a fourth button coupled to said second housing, saidfourth button being depressible, said fourth button being operationallycoupled to said microprocessor, wherein said fourth button is positionedon said second housing such that said fourth button is configured fordepressing for decreasing the setpoint for said respective said vent;programming code positioned on at least one electronic device of a user,said programming code being configured for compelling the at least oneelectronic device for mirroring said display such that the at least oneelectronic device is configured for inputting commands for each of saidplurality of vent covers and for the heating, ventilation, and coolingsystem of the building into said microprocessor; and wherein said secondtransceiver is positioned in said second housing such that said secondtransceiver is positioned for communicating the commands from saidmicroprocessor to said respective said first transceiver, wherein saidrespective said first transceiver is positioned for communicating thecommands to said actuator such that said actuator is positioned forselectively rotating said louvers for opening and closing said orificefor regulating the airflow through said vent cover for maintaining thedesired temperature and the desired humidity level proximate to saidfirst housing, wherein said second transceiver is positioned forreceiving the temperature, the humidity level and the measurement of theairflow from said respective said first transceiver and for relaying thetemperature, the humidity level and the measurement of the airflow tosaid microprocessor, wherein said programming code is configured forcompelling the at least one electronic device for mirroring said displaysuch that the at least one electronic device is configured for inputtingcommands for each of said plurality of vent covers and for the heating,ventilation and cooling system of the building into said microprocessor.